The Cowboy Takes a Bride (12 page)

Sugar hoped so. She'd been practicing her skits every spare moment that she didn't spend hunting for a play that she'd like better. She was trying to make sure she was ready with at least the skits if that was all she ended up with.

“Besides, I'm getting antsy. I'm ready to practice on the stage with lights and costumes. And a cast!”

Haley chuckled. “Sugar, you are going to get an ulcer if you keep this up. Think about everything you
do
have lined up, not what you don't. You've got the tryouts coming up and since the guys know what's expected this time, they're on board and ready. Norma Sue, Esther Mae and Adela are heading up a blitz of a promo drive. Not to mention Molly talking you up in her column. Gracious, Sugar, that's a lot.”

Haley was right. The ladies were planning to drive the seventy miles to the closest sizeable town to begin handing out flyers about the show. They were the self-appointed advertisement committee, and she knew they would get the job done. The community was already buzzing, since Molly had mentioned the show in her newspaper column. It was all just like Sugar had hoped. Everything was poised to attract some media attention, and maybe some reviewers other than Molly. After all the obstacles when she'd first arrived, Sugar had to calm down and remember that things were going smoothly now.

“I want your opinion on another place,” Haley said as she passed through town, heading out in the direction of the barn.

“Sure thing, boss lady,” Sugar said. “But I didn't know you were working on a house out here.”

“Oh, well, you know.”

Sugar glanced at her friend. “Are you hedging about something?”

“Hedging? Me? No.”

They got to the barn and Haley turned into the drive. “But since we're here, I want to look at something.”

Something was up. Applegate and Stanley were there, and so was Ross. And Will's truck, also. Sugar frowned at Haley, who was exiting the vehicle as if it was on fire.

Sugar wasn't stupid, but she figured that whatever it was had to be a good surprise. The first thing she noticed as she followed Haley in was that everyone was standing up in the hayloft. Today, though, something was different. There were lights up there! And speakers!

“Surprise!” they all yelled. App hit a switch, and a light beamed down on Haley, who'd stepped onto the middle of the stage. They had a spotlight!

“Where did that come from?” she squealed, awed that they'd worked so hard to get this surprise set up.
This
was why they'd all been in such a hurry earlier, and why Haley had kept her occupied.

Ross walked to the edge of the loft and smiled. “My family has to upgrade their show sometimes. They scrounged around for some things they'd outgrown, and donated them to the cause.”

Sugar blinked hard. Swallowed harder. “Wow,” she managed to croak.

“Well, don't jest stand thar,” Applegate roared. “Get yorself up here and take a look. Thar's more buttons on these here boards than I ever saw in all my born days.”

Ross was grinning as she grabbed the rung of the ladder and started climbing toward him. He'd come through for her again. She smiled at him as she stepped onto the platform. “Once again, you are my real-life hero,” she said, breathless with excitement.

“All in a day's work for a hero, ma'am.”

On impulse, she brushed a kiss across his cheek, then hurried to look at the control panel and the light setup.

Will was standing beside Stanley. “You must have helped install all of those,” she stated.

He nodded. “That I did. I'm glad I was able to contribute something to the show.”

“Oh, it's all grand.” She ran her hand over the light board and couldn't believe that it was there, sitting beside a soundboard. She looked at Ross. “I guess they just happened to outgrow this, too?” She scanned the barn, taking in all the speakers.

“They've been in business for a lot of years. You should see the back room of that theater. What they didn't have, my dad got from some of his other friends. But there was one request.”

“What?”

“They do want to come up one weekend during their off-season, and do a show here. Nothing huge, only part of the cast. We just have to schedule it, and we've got a date.”

Sugar was speechless, but only for a second. “Oh, Ross. That will garner some great publicity for the theater!”

“Yup, ain't that somethin,” Applegate said. “We might could become the next little Nashville!”

Haley laughed from down below. “That might be stretching it, Granddad, but it is a great opportunity.”

Everyone started talking at once. Sugar felt like she needed a chair. Thank goodness there was one near. She pulled it out and sank into it. “I'm in business,” she said, her voice cracking. “I'm really, really in business.”

“Looks that way,” Ross said, his expression one she could only describe as boyish satisfaction.

Thank you,
she mouthed.

A wide, goofy smile spread across his handsome face. She knew it was in response to the matching one spreading across hers.

“B
e the hero of my show.”

“No, Sugar.” Ross stared at the hardheaded woman in front of him and fought to hold his ground against her persuasive smile. “We've been through this. I don't want to be on stage other than to sing a few songs.”

It was just the two of them in the barn now. He'd offered to give her a ride back to town, since Haley had suspiciously decided she wanted to follow her husband home. App and Stanley had run off, too, leaving Ross alone with Sugar. It was a position he'd been trying to avoid. Until now, he'd succeeded most of the times they'd spent working on the benches and the stage. He didn't want to admit that he was afraid of being alone with her, but he knew he was. He'd been attracted to the woman from day one. A smart defense against letting his attraction for her grow was a strong offense.

He needed to keep his distance in order to maintain his perspective.

But knowing how anxious Sugar had been to get sound equipment and lights had messed him up. He had figured she would want to spend time checking it out, so he'd agreed to stay with her instead of taking her back to town as soon as everyone else abandoned them.

Looking at her now, at the persuasive glint in her eyes, he had to remind himself to shake his head and hold his own. They'd been getting along so well during the construction period, but she still had to get it through her pretty little head that he was
not
going to be the hero of her show. No way.

True, he couldn't get over how much he was enjoying getting this show up and running. If someone had asked him a month ago if he'd ever go back into the entertainment business, he'd have said no. In fact he
had
said no. Several times. Funny thing was, he'd never felt as satisfied by the business as he had once he'd started building the stage. And seeing the light shining in Sugar's eyes.

He pushed that counterproductive thought out of his head and gave her an extra-stern stare. “We had a deal. I help with the production and sing a couple of songs. That's it.”

He was sitting on the edge of the stage now, determined not to be manipulated into doing something he would regret. Not an easy task when the woman was staring at him as if he was the best thing since those gumdrops she loved to eat.

“No,” he said again when she batted her beautiful eyes at him and smiled sweetly. “And stop looking at me like that.”

“I'm looking at you with complete adulation because you are a surprising man, Ross Denton,” she said, coming toward him down the center aisle. She waved her arm to encompass the rows of benches that he and his friends had built. “You did all of this. And now the sound system. And your family…”

She had momentarily veered off course to pat him on the back, but he knew she hadn't given up on casting him as her costar. She didn't give up on anything. He clenched his jaw, determined not to be moved.

Determined not to give in.

She stopped at the front row and studied him. She had on jeans and boots and a red tank top with a star on the front. That star reminded him that her heart was in Hollywood. Ross would be a fool if he let himself forget that.

Fool or not, he struggled against the sudden urge to put his arms around her and agree to anything she asked of him.
Oh, no you don't. Back it up there, bud.

That was harder still because he'd truly enjoyed being with her over the last two weeks. The connection he felt to his grandpop had grown as he'd worked on the production. Now he knew the exhilaration his grandparents had felt as they'd built their show up from nothing but a barn and their talent. He owed that feeling to the woman in front of him, and that was another complication, making it harder to listen to the bells of alarm clanging somewhere deep inside of him.

“Thank you for doing so much for me.” She stepped closer.

“It's what I agreed to do.”

“So are you going to finally sing for me? Me, not your tractor or your cows.”

He laughed. He should have known this was coming. The woman was a persistent bombshell. “I'll sing. That was part of the deal.” He raised an eyebrow to make his point—that he was fulfilling everything he'd promised. She chuckled, and the sound rippled through him like music. He walked away from it, moving toward the sound booth, and put a good ten feet between them before he turned and asked, “So what do you want me to sing?” His blamed voice sounded like gravel. He'd wanted to kiss her. It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed his mind.

“That same song you were singing the day I found out your secret. The one about God's love and a father's love being unending. Sing that one. I'm thinking it may be one to use for the show. Of course, we'd need to get permission if we use it, which is something else I need to take care of.”

“It'll all get done. I can take care of most of that. But you know I haven't sung to anyone but my cows in a long time.”

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her hand lingering there. “Then I think it's high time you primed those pipes, don't you? And we really need to make sure all this new equipment works, so chop-chop.”

“Yes, ma'am. Just for you then.”

“Now that's what I'm talking about—a man who knows how to keep a smile on a girl's face.”

His eyes were immediately drawn to her smiling lips, and he almost groaned. “Um, I'll go turn on the system. Hang on.” He shot toward the loft like a man running from a burning building. Grabbing the ladder, he climbed up the rungs, then stomped over to the black soundboard. As a kid, this board had fascinated him. At the moment, it held no interest at all. Every fiber of his being was fighting a fascination for the woman that stood below him in front of the small stage.
Focus, man,
he willed himself. Focus.

He got the microphone set, took a few deep breaths and then went to sing to Sugar. Thank goodness she'd asked for a song about God's love and not a romantic one. He'd have been completely undone if she'd asked him to sing something like “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Not that he loved her. It would have just been awkward. Yeah, awkward. That was exactly what it would be.

She was sitting on the edge of the stage when he walked up, mike in hand. “You know, this would be better with music,” he stated. “Helps hide the imperfections.”

“Would you stop already? I know you can sing, so quit being so bashful.”

He chuckled and lifted the mike. “Well, here goes nothing.”

 

Nothing my foot!
Sugar thought as Ross started singing. She felt as if his rich, melodic voice was embracing her. The man could protest all he wanted to, but he was so talented she was jealous. In a good way.

But it was more than that. Just as she'd suspected, when he turned toward the spotlight, his fabulous, intense eyes caught the light and reflected it. And when he sang, he made her believe and feel every word. He had a gift, and she was certain every person in the audience would feel it and see it.

By the time he'd finished the song, she wasn't smiling any longer. She was sitting silent and awed.

This man should be on the radio.

That was all she could think. What would he sound like with music and studio effects behind him?

He lowered the mike and gave a half grin, just a quirk of one side of his mouth, as if to say, “And that's it, nothing much.”

Nothing much?
She had chill bumps on her arms. Looking up at him, she said the first thing that came to mind. “You've got some lucky cows.”

He chuckled. “That's a matter of opinion.”

“Goodness, Ross, what were you thinking? You
belong
on that stage!”

He looked less than impressed with her gushing. “Speaking of stage, fair is fair,” he drawled. “Hop up here and give me a little show. I know you've been practicing, and I know official rehearsals are about to start, but I want a sneak peek.”

Sugar's stomach dropped, and—for the first time in her life, she felt self-conscious. But she was more than ready to actually work on that stage. And she really needed something to take her mind off Ross. She just wasn't sure what he would think of her program. It was original material, and not at all what she'd ever thought she would be doing.

He was watching her with an encouraging expression, so she drew a deep breath. “Okay, here's what I've been working on. Remember, it's original stuff, written by me.” She made a face. “And it's not at all what I was planning when I first got to town…. It's a couple of fish-out-of-water scenarios.”

She hopped from her seat and moved toward the stage, still yakking away and feeling as if she'd rather crawl in a hole than perform. “I just started writing one night about me coming to Mule Hollow. You know, how differently I looked at things. And since it had to be mostly me doing the acting…well, I started this piece. I'm not totally happy with it, but I think it might work.”

“Sugar…”

She stopped talking and looked at him. She felt queasy and her palms were clammy.

“Stop talking and do it. I'm sure it'll be great.”

She took another breath, swallowed to try and wet her suddenly dry throat, and nodded. “Right. Okay, here goes. You sit over there.”

“Are you kidding? I'm going up top to work the spotlight.”

She laughed and shoved her fear aside. “Then get up there, mister,” she said, forcing herself to sound in control. “After all, a star is about to be born…after you, of course. I think you're going to sing one song and steal the show.”

He grunted and climbed back to the loft. Outside, the sun had gone down. As he adjusted the lights, Sugar's nervousness calmed, replaced with pure adrenaline. This was a feeling she knew, loved and lived for. She gazed out over the shadowy rows of benches and then up to where Ross sat. Because of the bright lights, she could no longer see him. It was as if she was in her own little world. A world she loved.

She inhaled slowly, then exhaled, releasing all extraneous thoughts. She closed her eyes and called up the words she'd written, felt the emotions captured in them as she inhaled once more, seeking that special zone.

Then she opened her eyes and started doing what she was born to do….

 

She blew him away! The woman was as good as anybody he'd ever seen! She was funny, totally mesmerizing…and he hated her show with all his heart. But it had nothing to do with her ability.

Ross just stood there when she'd finished, his insides all twisted up with conflicting emotions. He couldn't move. Sugar's one-woman monologue about coming to small-town America and leaving civilization behind would probably be a big success. But it lacked something. She was better than her show, that was for certain. Then again, it could be that he just didn't liked the story. The scenes said, loud and clear, what Sugar made no secret of, herself: she was not a small-town girl.

The three scenes she did for him showcased with great finesse the shock and horror of a city girl gone country. She displayed a terrific combination of comedic timing and pure, awesome stage presence. Despite his discontent with her message, he even laughed. It was impossible not to. With some fine-tuning, she would have a hit on her hands. Still, every scene showed him he had no business getting any ideas about her staying around. And no matter how he denied it, he knew that this was what was eating at him. That was why he hated the show. It was for personal reasons…and that was not good. Not good at all.

“So, what do you think?” she called after her “Tango with the Beavers” skit.

He swallowed hard. “You're talented, Sugar Rae. Very talented.” He could hear the less-than-thrilled tone in his voice and was afraid she'd heard it, too. He turned away from her to cover the equipment with a drop cloth, not wanting her to see his dismay. She'd be leaving as soon as she could. And he was helping her do it. Hollywood was crazy for not recognizing the beauty and talent in this woman.

He climbed down the ladder with feet of lead. She was waiting for him at the bottom, staring toward the darkened stage. He fought the urge to drape an arm over her shoulders and hug her when she looked up at him, her expression full of wonder.

“That was amazing. I almost felt like I did when I used to dress up for my grandmothers and put on a show with nothing more than a cardboard box as a prop. Before I became so obsessed with making it. It felt natural and free…and fabulous.”

She
was fabulous. He hooked his thumbs onto his belt and held on so he wouldn't reach for her. “I know what you mean,” he said, feeling as close to her in that moment as he'd ever felt to anyone. “That's what I felt when I was first singing on my grandpop's knee. I lost that feeling somewhere along the way.” He looked at the dark stage. “But I felt it again tonight, singing for you and then watching you perform,” he admitted. “I'd forgotten how much I once enjoyed it.” It was true. Even if her skits bothered him, he'd felt that satisfaction surge through him, watching her and singing to her.